Foundation garment



May 2, 1961 c. PAVEZA 2,982,287

FOUNDATION GARMENT Filed July 9, 1959 IN VEN TOR.

United States Patent O z,9s2,2s7 V FOUNDATION GARMENT i Charle s Pave za, Prospect Heights,Ill., assignor to The Fo rm fit Company, Chicago, 11]., a corporation of lllmorsx Filed July 9, 1959, sr. No. 826,019 2 4 Claims. (Cl. 128-542) and/ or derriere is allegedly accomplished by means of inserted boning, non-elastic panels and/or strips of oneway stretch elastic sewn into the garment in a predetermined arrangement; An especially practical garment has been marketed which comprises a complete generally tubular body of two-way stretch elastic. fabric and a plurality of strips or bands of'one-way stretch ,elastic 2,982,287 Patented May 2, 1961 to cause'the flesh to be evenly distributed, thereby making the garment easier fitting and more comfortable.

, Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the following detailed description.

Now, in order to acquaint those skilled in the art with the manner of making my improved foundation garment, I shall describe, in connection with the accompanying drawing, a preferred embodiment of the garment. In the drawing: v Figure 1 is a front view of a girdle embodying my present invention;

Figure 2 is a side view of the girdle; Figure 3 is a back view of the girdle; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the.

fabric of the girdle.

Referring now to the drawing, it is to be first noted that the illustrated embodiment of my invention is a vgirdle of the side opening type.

This is one of three conventional types of girdles, the others being the slipon and panty types. As the description proceeds, it will be apparent that the present invention is equally applicable to all three types. Similarly, the invention is applicable to complete foundation garments, the body ensewn onto the interior surface of the body diagonally 1 thereof so ,as to form generally a criss-crossedarrangement of bands over the abdomen and a chevron arrangement of bands over the derriere. However, as thus constituted, this garment, due to the plural layers of fabric and the'inward protrusion of the bands, is bulky and causes the wearer discomfort. The use of stiff panels and boning results in even greater bulk and discomfort.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved foundation garment that is exceptionally comfortable to wear, that is lightweight, not bulky, that affords optimum control, and that eliminates the need for plural layers of fabric, boning and stiff paneling.

More particularly, it is an object of the invention to provide a foundation garment of the general character described, i.e., one. that has a body of two-way stretch elastic and control bands of one-way stretch elastic, but that in contrast to prior proposals of the art is comprised of but a singlelayer of fabric.

It is specifically the object of the invention to provide an improved foundation garment wherein the panels or portions thereofforming the front'and back of the garment are each comprised of a single layer of fabric having dilferentstretch characteristics in the same piece, whereby control may be exerted in a predetermined area circling portions of long-line brassieres, and so on.

As shown, the preferred embodiment of my improved garment comprises a generally tubular body having a front panel 10, a rear panel 12 and side panels 14 and 16. As is conventional in the illustrated type of girdle, which is generally a long-line garment, suitable lightweight boning 18 is provided along the seams joining the several panels to assist in maintaining the -shape of the upper regions of the garment. A zippered opening 20 is provided along one seam of the front panel, and due to the presence of the zipper, no boning is required along this seam. If desired, conventional catches (not shown) may be provided along the opening 20 in addition to the zipper. Also, the garment is suitably supplied with conventional garter straps 22.

The front and rear panels of the garment are each comprised of two pieces of fabric, the two pieces of the front panel being indicated at 24 and 26 and the two pieces of the rear panel being indicated at 28 and 30.

lightweight relatively porous portion T having a twoway stretch'characteristic (as indicated by the arrows) and somewhat heavier web or strip portions Sw having a one-way stretch characteristic (as indicated by the arrows). When woven, the web or strip portions Sn of the fabric parallel one of the principal axes of the and ma predetermined direction all with a single piece of elastic fabric. 7

Afurther object of the invention is the provision of an improved foundation garment as above definedwherein the fabric having different stretch characteristics provides, over the major area of the engaged portions of the wearers body, a very lightweight and preferably porous membrane having a two-way stretch characteristic, and provides over the abdomen and derriere relatively small control areas having a one-way stretch characteristic.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of an improved foundation garment as above defined wherein the fabric of the front and rear panel means of the garment are cut on the bias relative to the weave so as to cause the one-way stretch portion to extend diagonally over the abdomen and derriere to give control over the fullest part thereof, to cause the two-way stretchportions to exert their most slimming effect, and

fabric, and it is preferred to have the fabric woven in such manner that the two-way stretch portion T comprises the major area thereof, and that two parallel strip portions are provided adjacent one another, one of the strip portions being relatively wide, as indicated at Sw,

and the other. being relatively narrow,.as indicated at $12..

In making a foundation garment from this fabric, I prefer to out each piece of each of the front and back panels on the bias so that the portion T will exhibit its best two-way stretch characteristics and the strip portions 'Sw and Sn will extend diagonally. Also, I prefer to dispose each piece with the wider strip Sw uppermost. The two pieces of each panel are identical (and may be so cut) and are arranged on opposite hands and stitched together at their inner edges to complete the respective panel. As thus formed, each panel exhibits a two-way stretch characteristic over the major area thereof and includes a pair of chevrons, one relatively wide and the other relatively narrow, which exhibit a one-way stretch characteristic longitudinally of each wing thereof.

3. In the front panel, the wide chevron formed by the strips Sw has its apex located substantially centrally of the panel and the wingsthereof extend upwardly and out wardly to respective top corners of the panel. As thus located, the wide chevron extends over the fullest part of the abdomen and the strips'Sw exert an upwardand outwardly directed controlling force, thereby to cause the flesh to be evenly distributed upwardly and outwardly. The narrow strips Sn afford similar controla bit lower on the body. 7

In the rear panel, the chevrons have substantially the same angular relationship, but are located with their apices adjacent the lower edge of the garment thereby to give good control over. the derriere.

Also in the back "panel,- to facilitate ,fit at the waist,- the width of the panelis decreased adjacent the ,upper edge thereof. Inserts 32 of two-way stretch fabric may, be em-v ployed to accommodate such decreaseand-insure a good fit.

The side panels Hand 16 are suitably formed of the same two-way stretch fabric as indicated at T, and here it is not necessary to have the fabric cut on the bias. As indicated by the arrow in Figure 2, the stretch required of the side panels is essentially transverse or horizontal to produce a slimming and smoothing effect over the hips.

As thus formed, the girdle is conveniently and economically manufactured and affords an exceptionally lightweight, bulkless, comfortable garment. The disadvantages consequent upon plural layers of fabric, stiff paneling and boning for control purposes are entirely eliminated, The resultant product is a thin, lightweight garment providing exceptionally good figure control to assure the wearers trim appearance. In particular, the dis position of the one-way stretch portions of the single thickness fabric assures even distribution of excess flesh, and the two-way stretch portions produce a slimming, holding effect. Accordingly, the objects of the invention have been shown herein to be achieved in an expeditious, convenient, economical and practical manner.

While I have shown what I regard to be a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be appreciated that variouschanges, rearrangements and modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.-

I claim:

1. A girdle comprisinga generally tubular body having front, back and side panels, each of said front and back' panels comprising two pieces of fabric joined together centrally of the panel, each of said pieces having different stretch characteristics in theone piece and includinga major portion having a two-way stretch characteristic and another portion in the form ofa strip having acne-way stretch characteristic longitudinally of the strip, each piece being-cut on the bias' to dispose the said strip portion thereof diagonally, the two pieces of-each of said front and back panels being of opposite hands with the strip portions thereof extending upwardly and outwardly from the center of each of said front and back panels and defining a chevron on the respective panels, the vertex of the chevron defined on said back panel being located adjacent the lower edge thereof'and the vertex of the chevron defined on said front panel being located generally centrally thereof to extend over the fullest part of the wearers abdomen, each of said side panels having a stretch characteristic at least transversely thereof, the said major portions of said front and back panels and said side panels comprising a lightweight relatively porous fabric.

2. A foundation garment comprising a generally tubular body having a front panel-and a back panel joined together by side panels, each of said front and back panels comprising an upper pair and a lower pair of strips with the strips of each pair diverging upwardly from the lengthwise center line of each of said front and back panels to the side panels and disposed in chevron form, the upper pair of strips of said front panel being spaced from the lower pair of strips of said front panel, said strips respectively having elfectiveone-way lengthwise stretch and said front and back panels having effective two-way stretch at all areas thereof except said strips said'side panels having effective one-way stretch transversely thereof.

3. A foundation garment comprising a generally tubular 'body having a front panel and a back panel joined together by side panels, each of said front and back panels comprising an upper pair and a lower pair of strips with the strips of each pair diverging upwardly from the lengthwise center line of each of said front and back panels to the side panels and disposed in chevron form, the upper pair of strips of said front panel being of substantially greater width than the lower pair of strips and extending over the major portion of the abdominal area of said front panel, said front and back panels respectively having effective two-way stretch at all areas thereof except said strips, the latter having effective one-way lengthwise stretch;

4. A foundation garment'comprising a generally tubular body havinga front panel and a back panel joined together by side panels, each of said front and back panels comprising an upper pair and a lower pair of strips with the strips of each pair diverging upwardly from the lengthwise center line of each of said front and back panels to the side panels anddisposed in chevron form, the upper pair of strips of the respective front and back panels being of substantially greater width than the lower pair of strips, said strips respectively having effective one-way stretch lengthwise and said front and back panels respectively having effective two-way stretch at all areas thereof except said strips, said side panels having effective oneway stretch transversely thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,370,170 Jasper Feb. 27, 1945 2,458,279 Levy Jan. 4, 1949 2,563,308 Chase et al Aug. 7, 1951 2,633,574 Dolan Apr. 7, 1953 2,803,822 Doyle Aug. 27, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,156,137 France Dec. 9, 1957 

